Gas-engine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet- 1.

J. A. CHARTER.

GAS ENGINE.

No.585,652. Patented July 6, 1897.

a 51mm q vi/bneoowa i N r M 7%; M 5 g? 94 ---C' I atbowml /L (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J.A.GHARTER.

GAS ENGINE.

No. 585,652. Patented Jul 5, 1897.

(No Model.) 3ShetsShee ;3.

J. A. CHARTER.

GAS ENGINE. No. 585,652. Patented July 6, 1897.

fly-3 mmrmm 17 .4. HllIIIIIIIIIMI IIIIIIIIIHH! 8 V llnmmlm 9 nmma wmmum I Illll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllIT IIIIIIIII v flaw-W UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

. JAMES A. CHARTER, OFBELOIT, WVISOONSIN.

GAS -ENGI N E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,652, dated July 6, 1897.

Application filed September 26,1896. Serial No. 607,087. (No model.)

To all whom it may conserve. V

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. CHARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beloit, in the county of Rock and State of VVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in gasengines; and it has for its object to improve the construction of such engines and render the same more efficient and more certain in operation; and the invention consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the parts hereinafter more particularly described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which like lett ers and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine embodying the invention, parts being in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the igniter removed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one end of the cylinder. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the governor and of the means for controlling the circuit of the igniter.

The invention is shown as applied to a typical gasengine consisting of the usual cylinder A, mounted upon a suitable base A, 370

with supports for the crank-shaft B and the other regular parts of the engine, and the cylinder may be arranged either vertically or horizontally, as desired. A connecting-rod O connects the crank-shaft to the piston within the cylinder A, and this cylinder is provided with an inlet-port 1 and an exhaustport 2, arranged near the rear end of the cylport, which charge is compressed upon the return or back stroke of the piston. The charge is then exploded and drives the piston forward and upon its succeeding back stroke it expels the spent gases from the cylinder.

In the exhaust-casing 3 an exhaust-valve is so seated as to normally close the exhaust port 2. A spring 5, bearing upon a collar on the valve-stem, tendsto hold the valve to its seat.

A rod 8, adapted to slide toward and away from the valve-stem 7, is mounted in suitable bearings of the base A, and said rod is provided at one end with a friction-roller 9 and a shoulder 10, and intermediate its length with a collar 12, provided with a cam-slot. The end of the rod 8 is supported by means of a link 8 pivoted thereto and to the frame.

The friction-roller is arranged in the path of movement of a cam D upon a shaft 13. This shaft is driven from the crankshaft, to which it is connected by means of gears 14: 15, the gear 15 being one-half the diameter of the gear 14 in order that the shaft 13 will make but one complete rotation to every two revolutions of the crank-shaft. As above stated, the rod 8 moves toward and away from the exhaust-valve stern and is adapted to act thereon during its backward movement to open the valve, and as the rod is moved through the medium of the cam D the exhaust-valve is opened only at every alternate reciprocation of the piston.

wHeretofore in engines wherein the inletvalves have been opened by suction an objection has been that when the piston started on its forward or suction stroke it would open the inlet-valve before the exhaust-valve was fully closed, resulting in a loss of the volatile fluid. This is particularly true of high-speed engines; and it is an object of the invention to prevent the opening of the inlet valve prior to the closing of the exhaust-valve, and to this end automatic locking devices are provided which act to lock the inlet-valve to its seat until the exhaust-valve has been fully closed. These devices may be constructed and operated in various ways, but those shown are preferred on account of their simplicity and efficiency.

Adapted to the inlet-port 1 is a self-actin g valve 16, the stem of which projects rearwardly through a chamber in a slotted casing 17 and is provided with a collar or hearing 18 and a spring 19, which is designed to normally maintain the valve in its seat; but the tension of said spring is not sufficient to retard the opening of the valve on the suctionstroke of the piston.

Supported in suitable bearings and extend ing, preferably, parallel to the rod Sis a rockshaft 20, provided at its ends with arms 21 22, respectively, which project from opposite arm 21 into contact with the inner side of the collar 18 to prevent the movement of the inlet-valve stem and the consequent opening of its valve. It will thus appear that the inlet-valve is securely locked against opening during the whole time the exhaust-valve is opened and is not released until the exhaustvalve has been returned to its seat.

When the exhaust-valve is closed and the piston is moving forward, the valve 16 will be opened by the vacuum formed in the rear of the piston, and a sufficient charge of combustible fluid and air will be drawn into the cylinder through the supply-port. If, -how-, ever, the exhaust-port is opened at the time the piston moves forward, the supply-port being locked in its closed position, air will be 3 drawn in through said port, andconsequently the engine will run by its own momentum and without a charge and explosion. By this arrangement all mechanism for controlling. the flow of combustible fluid to the cylinder is dispensed with, it being only necessary to hold the exhaust-valve open whenever the en-. gine acquires a rate of speed in excess of the normal.

Any suitable governing devices-for control ling the proper operation of the exhaust-valve may be employed. Those shown consist of a flanged sleeve F, adapted to slide on the crank-shaft B. This sleeve is connected by means of a pin 23 and links 24 with the arms. of a governor G, the balls of which are connected by a spring.

Pivota'lly supported upon a bracket of the. frame A is a detent 25, carrying a friction-j roll at one end, which engages the flange of the sleeve F. The opposite end of the detent is adapted to engage the shoulder 10 on the, rod 8 under abnormal conditions, but nor-- mally the detent is held out of position to engage the shoulder by a spring 26.

In operation the cam D will always move. the rod 8 sufficiently to carry the shoulder 10' beyond the end of the detent, but the engagement of the detent with the shoulder is .prevented by the spring 26 as long as the speed of the engine is not excessive. When, however, the engine moves'too fast, the governorballs will spread out and carry the sleeve F outward and move the end of the detent into engagement with the shoulder of the rod 8,

. with a flange 37.

and the detent to be withdrawn from engagement with the shoulder by its spring.

Various means may be employed for igniting the compressed charges within the cylinder, but those described below are preferred, as they have proved very effective.

Heretofore it has been customary to ignite the charge within the cylinder after the piston had started upon its outward stroke, and consequently the charge when ignited is not in its greatest state of compression and a consequent loss of power results. In the present invention, however, the spark is formed immediately upon the completion of the back stroke of the piston, and the ignition takes place immediately" upon the piston reaching the limit of its back stroke, at which time the charge is in its highest state of compression, and is consequently capable of exerting a greater pressure when exploded. By thus exploding the charge the working efficiency of the engine is increased without a proportionate increase of the explosive mixture.

Briefly stated, the operation of the igniter is as follows: Aftera charge has been admitted to the rear end of the cylinder and compressed it is ignited by a spark generated by the separation of two terminal electrodes located in the rear end of the cylinder and resting normally in contact, the separation of the electrodes being effected by a projection on the piston'on the backward movement thereof.

The igniter consists of two flanged castings 3O 31, secured to the rear end of the cylinder and insulated theref-romand fromeach other, and each of these castings is in an electrical circuit. The opposite faces of the flange of the casting 31 are provided with projecting sleeves 32 33. The sleeve 33-is provided with ICC a screw-cap and serves as a chamber fora spring 35, while the sleeve 32 projects into the cylinder and serves as a guide for an electrode 36, which is provided near its inner end This electrode projects through the sleeve 32 into the sleeve 33 and its rear end engages with the spring 35, which tends to move it into the cylinder and maintain it in contact with another electrode.

The casting 30 is provided with a screwthreaded opening in which is received the end of a sleeve 38, constituting the second electrode. This electrode or sleeve projects into the cylinder and surrounds the sleeve 32, but is out of con-tact therewith,.a space being left between the sides and ends of the two sleeves. The end of the electrode 38 is .provided with an opening, and the inner end of the electrode 36 projects through this opening into position to make contact with a projeotion 39 on the piston or to make contact with the piston itself just prior to the completion of the backwardstroke of the piston. The flange of the electrode 36 normally makes contact with the endof the-surroundingelectrode 38 andserves the double function of a contact-piece and a stop for limiting the inward movement of the electrode relative to .the electrode 38.

It will be apparent, however, that by turning the electrode in one direction or the other it may be projected into the cylinder toa greater or less degree,thereby making it possible to regulate the time for forming a spark.

From the above it will be apparent that whenever the piston approaches the limit of its backward stroke the projection strikes the end of the electrode 36 and breaks the contact between its flange or contact-piece 37 and the electrode 38, which causes a spark to ig nite the explosive charge within the cylinder.

Any suitable automatic means for controlling the flow of the electric current to the igniter may be employed. Those shown constitute part of the subject-matter of a pendin g application filed April 11, 1895, Serial No. 545,374, and need not be described herein.

WVithout limiting the invention to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, what I claim isa 1. In a gas-engine, the combination of the cylinder provided with a piston, inlet and exhaust ports, and upon its exterior with a slotted casing, valves adapted to the inlet and exhaust ports, the stem of the inlet-valve projecting through the slotted casing and provided with a bearing, a reciprocating arm adapted to engage with said bearing, and means for reciprocating the arm into engagement with the bearing upon theopening of the exhaust-valve, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination with a cylinder provided with inlet and exhaust ports, of valves adapted to said ports, the stem of. the inlet-valve being provided with a bearing, a rod and means for reciprocating the same to actuate the exhaust-valve, a camsleeve-upon said rod, a rock-shaft adjacent to said rod having two arms, one extending into engagement with the cam-sleeve and the other adapted to engage with the bearing of the inlet-valve stem, substantially as described.

3. Ina gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and its piston, of a stationary electrode and a movable sliding electrode within the same, the electrodes normally resting in contact and forming terminals of an electric circuit, the movable electrode being in position to be struck by the piston, substantially as described.

4. In a gasengine, the combination with the cylinder and its piston, of two detachable insulated but connected electrodes extending the piston, and means for maintaining the electrodes in contact, substantially as described.

6. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and its piston, of a stationary and a movable electrode within the cylinder forming terminals of an. electric circuit and normally resting in contact, the movable electrode projecting inward beyond the stationary electrode into position to make contact with the piston and provided with stop devices for limiting its inward movement, and means for maintaining the electrodes in con tact, substantially as described.

7. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and its piston, of an igniter supported upon the cylinder and comprising two castings insulated from the cylinder and from each other, and each being provided with sleeves projecting into the cylinder, one of said sleeves surrounding but out. of con tact with the other, said surrounding sleeve constituting an electrode, a second electrode guided in the inner sleeve, and means for maintaining it in contact with the outer sleeve, said electrode projecting inwardly beyond the other'into position to make contact with the piston, substantially as described.

8. In a gas-engine, the combination or the cylinder, inlet and exhaust ports and valves,

and means for locking the inlet-valve positively and immovably on its seat until the exhaust is fully closed and for then releasing a the valve to permit it to open under the draft of the piston, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES A. CHARTER. \Vitnesses: CLARE S. BRADLEY, JAMES A. BRADLEY. 

